<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Forever Home by pennilesspoet</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24241363">Forever Home</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/pennilesspoet/pseuds/pennilesspoet'>pennilesspoet</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Property Brothers, Schitt's Creek</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aesthetics, Before and After, Kitchen Islands, Load Bearing Walls, M/M, Open Floor Plans, Property Brothers - Freeform, Tight Budgets, renovation</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 20:09:31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,828</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24241363</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/pennilesspoet/pseuds/pennilesspoet</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>David and Patrick have their forever home...it just needs a little bit of work. Enter: the Property Brothers!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Patrick Brewer/David Rose</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>32</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Listen. I have been marathoning Property Brothers: Forever Home, so of course, I thought, hey, why not combine these two Canadian classics and just like, write an episode of Property Brothers: Forever Home for my own entertainment?</p><p>This will make a lot more sense if you have actually seen the Forever Home version of Property Brothers, probably.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>This is David and Patrick’s <em> Forever Home </em>.</p><p>“Anytime we drove past this house, David would comment on how much it reminded him of Kate Winslet’s cottage in ‘The Holiday’. So one day, I stopped and asked the owners to let me know when they were ready to sell. And they did.”</p><p>This is a charming house, but the inside is dark and dated. We are ready to tackle a new design to help them stay in the home they love.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> A house is four walls; a home - that’s where memories are made. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> This is Property Brothers: Forever Home. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Location: Schitt’s Creek, ON</strong>
</p><p>This is a little outside of our typical area. In fact, neither of us have ever even heard of Schitt’s Creek. </p><p>But it is a charming small town, and David and Patrick’s house is charming and cozy. As we arrive, the couple meets us out on the lush front lawn.</p><p>“Hello!”</p><p>“Oh wow, they are actually here! Hello, Property Brothers, I’m David, and this is - “</p><p>“Patrick. We spoke on the phone.”</p><p>“Well, you weren’t kidding; this house really does look like the cottage from ‘The Holiday’!”</p><p>David and Patrick look at one another fondly and wrap an arm around each other.</p><p>“I knew, after the third or fourth time David mentioned the house, that I needed to try and see if we could get our hands on it.”</p><p>“That is quite a bold move, approaching a homeowner like that,” Drew arches an eyebrow.</p><p>“But it paid off, it seems,” Jonathan grins cheekily.</p><p>“Well, it almost didn’t. We were all set to move to New York, when at the last minute, David decided to put in an offer.”</p><p>“What’s in New York?”</p><p>“My parents and sister were all set to move - we had been forced to move to Schitt’s Creek a few years ago, and we’d been living at the local motel.”</p><p>“The Rosebud Motel? That’s where we’re staying. Seems nice enough.”</p><p>“Oh, believe me, there has been a lot of work done on that place in the last year or so.”</p><p>“Anyway, my family finally had the opportunity to move, and we were all set to take it. But then I realized that I wasn’t really ready to say goodbye to this town. Patrick and I met here. Our business is here. And Patrick had gotten us the perfect home.”</p><p>“Perfect...on the outside, anyway,” David sighs with mild exasperation.</p><p>“Ah, well let’s see what we are working with.”</p><p>Entering the house, the first thing we notice is how dark and closed off it seems. There is a narrow entryway, due to an unnecessary wall that divides it from the living room. The floors are covered with musty, dated carpeting, in a color we will generously call “salmon”.</p><p>The living room is also quite dark, with a bulky fireplace and filled only with a small grey loveseat and two stylish chairs. There is a fantastic, custom-built coffee table, which was commissioned a few years ago by David and Patrick. It’s clear that they have great style, and this house just isn’t quite meeting it.</p><p>“This is very dark,” Drew notes.</p><p>“Yeah, we don’t love this space. We use it more because of the fireplace than anything else.”</p><p>“I think if we open up this wall to the entryway, and maybe this wall on the north side, we will be able to bring in a lot more light and give this space room to breathe,” Jonathan illustrates a rough sketch of what he is thinking.</p><p>“Yes, that sounds perfect,” Patrick nods.</p><p>“I just - I want this room to still be cozy,” David replies. “I want it to feel warm.”</p><p>“We can absolutely do that,” Jonathan nods, and they make their way into the dining room.</p><p>The dining room is narrow and dated, and it blocks off the kitchen from the rest of the living space.</p><p>“Do you use this dining room a lot?”</p><p>“Uh, I just do work here,” Patrick shrugs and gestures to his laptop, which sits on an old, dark dining table.</p><p>"But I think if we had a nice space that was open to the kitchen, we might use it more, especially when family comes to visit," David says.</p><p>“I think we can create a nice workspace for you, but it makes sense to take out these walls to connect the living space to the kitchen,” Jonathan says confidently.</p><p>“Speaking of the kitchen,” Drew adds, as he makes his way through the dining room to the last major space.</p><p>The kitchen’s layout is closed off and old-fashioned. The cabinets are dark, and the appliances have seen better days.</p><p>“Wow, this is - “</p><p>“Awful,” David supplies darkly. It’s clear that he hates this space more than any other.</p><p>“The kitchen was the first thing that we said we wanted to update, but we knew it was going to be expensive. After our wedding and honeymoon, we had to spend some time getting the next phase of our business off the ground, so we didn’t have time or money to take on a big project like this,” Patrick explains. </p><p>“I do most of the cooking, but David likes to be here in the kitchen with me while I am working. With this small layout and the way these cabinets hang over this peninsula, he is usually kind of getting in the way.”</p><p>“I want a space where we can work together. Where we can spend time doing different things but in the same space. I want this room, especially, to be <em>beautiful</em>,” David adds.</p><p>“I think that by tearing out these walls we can completely reconfigure your kitchen in a way that functions for both of you, and allows you to entertain guests.”</p><p>“What are you hoping to spend?” Drew asks.</p><p>David and Patrick look at each other - it’s clear they have had many discussions about this.</p><p>“We are comfortable spending $120,000,” Patrick says with some difficulty. David rubs his shoulders and nods.</p><p>“Okay, that’s a healthy budget, I think we can work with that.”</p><p>The rest of the house is in fairly good shape. There is a guest room and ensuite bathroom just off of the kitchen that has a queen-sized bed with a metal headboard, and a great wood desk and retro schoolhouse chair. Upstairs there is a large master suite with a sprawling, cozy bed and what looks to be a custom-made wooden headboard. There is another bedroom that has been converted to a closet - apparently David has a lot of sweaters - and another bathroom. The backyard is massive, with a great garden, a cozy porch swing, and a large, concrete patio. The outdoor furniture looks a little run down, as does the barbeque - David says that they inherited the barbeque grill from his dad when their parents left Schitt’s Creek. The bedroom and bathroom spaces look good, and the backyard is functional at least, so we are going to focus our energy on the living room, dining room, and kitchen space.</p><p>“We’re going to need you to move your belongings out of here so that we can begin demo,” Jonathan says.</p><p>“In the meantime, I’m going to show you another house for inspiration, so that we can get a good sense of your style,” Drew adds.</p><p>“Is there a stylish house in Schitt’s Creek?” David asks skeptically.</p><p>“No...we’ll have to drive to Elmdale,” Drew replies with a smirk.</p><p>“We should also take you to Rose Apothecary,” Patrick suggests, “I think that you will really get a sense for David’s aesthetic there.”</p><p>“But I want to make sure we are integrating <em>both</em> of our styles,” David insists.</p><p>~~@~~</p><p> </p><p>The first thing we need to do is get rid of the cabinets in the kitchen. I get the sense that neither David nor Patrick are going to miss these dark, dated monstrosities.</p><p>“I’m sure you’re both excited to get rid of these cabinets. If they were in better shape, I would say that we could donate them, but these are pretty old and run down, so I think we can just tear them out!” Jonathan hands Patrick and David safety goggles so that they can get to work.</p><p>David, in particular, takes great pleasure in destroying the cabinets that hang over the bulky peninsula. Patrick hammers away at the dated countertops like a man who has spent far too long trying to make them look clean. Soon enough, they have pulled down all of the cabinets, and the kitchen already feels larger.</p><p>They move on to the first dining room wall. Jonathan shows David and Patrick how to hammer through the drywall, and in no time, they have a giant hole in their wall.</p><p>“Hold up,” Jonathan says as they are hammering through the next wall.</p><p>“We have some HVAC coming in through this wall. We should be able to relocate it, but it’s pretty likely that this is a load-bearing wall, so we will need to have a structural engineer come in to take a look.”</p><p>“H-how much is that going to be?” Patrick asks hesitantly.</p><p>“Moving the HVAC should be about $1,500 to $2,000, but to remove a load-bearing wall, we’ll need to bring in a beam, and that can run about $10,000.”</p><p>“That’s…a lot,” David replies, wide-eyed.</p><p>“But we’ll need to do it if we want to open everything up,” Patrick says.</p><p>“Patrick is correct. We won’t be able to do much more demo until we have the engineer take a look, so why don’t you two go on your inspiration tour with Drew, and we’ll get this taken care of.”</p><p>~~@~~</p><p> </p><p>After a stop at Rose Apothecary, which confirmed my suspicion that the couple likes a warm, classic look with sleek, modern touches, we drive out to Elmdale for a Design Inspiration Tour.</p><p>This house is newer than David and Patrick’s, but I think the interior aligns with what they are looking for.</p><p>“Wow, this is so open,” David exclaims.</p><p>“But still feels cozy, which is exactly what we want,” Patrick adds.</p><p>“What do you think of this fireplace?” Drew prompts.</p><p>“I like the brickwork, and I like that there is some sleek tile around the hearth to give it a bit of a modern feel. I’d love to do something in rich blue or green,” David replies. Patrick smiles at his husband and blushes faintly.</p><p>“I would like to have some sort of mantle,” Patrick adds.</p><p>“I think a large piece of reclaimed wood would match well with that great coffee table we saw in your living room.”</p><p>
  <em> Wishlist: classic, sleek fireplace </em>
</p><p>“What about this kitchen?”</p><p>“I love the white cabinets. And this amazing countertop,” David runs his hands over the top of the kitchen island.</p><p>“That’s quartz. It looks great, but unlike marble, you won’t need to worry about spills or upkeep.”</p><p>“I like that a lot,” Patrick nods.</p><p>
  <em> Wishlist: quartz countertops </em>
</p><p>“What do you think about the two-tone cabinets?”</p><p>“I like that. I like the idea of darker lower cabinets,” Patrick replies.</p><p>“As long as the top cabinets are white,” David adds.</p><p>“How do you feel about floating shelves?”</p><p>“Yes, yes, I love floating shelves,” David nods vigorously.</p><p>“I’d like to see a bit of contrast on the backsplash,” Patrick says.</p><p>“But not too bright.”</p><p>
  <em> Wishlist: unique backsplash </em>
</p><p>~~@~~</p><p>I think I have a pretty good sense of David and Patrick’s style. I present some options to Jonathan and give him the contact information of the local carpenter who worked on the couple’s coffee table and headboard. I think it makes sense to see if we can commission some custom floating shelves, and perhaps a dining table from the same vendor.</p><p>~~@~~</p><p>David and Patrick arrive back at their home to find it nearly torn down to the studs.</p><p>“Wow,” Patrick gasps.</p><p>“It looks so different.”</p><p>“Hey, guys!” Jonathan puts down his drill and approaches the couple, who are still gawking at the places where their walls used to be.</p><p>“How’s it going?” Patrick asks.</p><p>“Good. We confirmed with the engineer that this was a load-bearing wall, so we will need to install a beam to replace it. We also found a couple of other issues.”</p><p>“I don’t like the sound of that at all,” David pouts.</p><p>“When we were digging into the walls, we found some old knob and tube wiring. Luckily, most of it had been cut, but it was still active in the sconces in your dining room. We are going to have to deal with that, as knob and tube is no longer allowed. It’s a huge fire hazard.”</p><p>“Wow, I guess I’m glad you found it, then.”</p><p>“We also pulled up the carpeting, and found some pretty awful hardwood underneath, so we’ll need to pull all of that out. If you want, we can also pull up the carpet on your stairs, but replacing the hardwood on the staircase is going to be costly.”</p><p>“I want all of the carpet gone,” David insists.</p><p>“But how much will it cost to re-do the stairs?”</p><p>“With a new railing, you’re looking at about ten grand.”</p><p>“But I think we need to do it - we can’t have janky old stairs with a beautiful new living room,” David insists.</p><p>“Okay, but David, this structural beam is already costing us ten thousand dollars. I don’t know if our contingency can cover both.”</p><p>“I think we need to find a way to make it work.”</p><p>“Well, the good news is that I have figured the beam into the costs of the two options I am about to show you,” Jonathan says.</p><p>“Okay, well. I guess let’s see what we’re working with,” Patrick replies, as he crosses his arms over his chest tightly.</p><p>“Okay. Option One:”</p><p>We’ll open up the living room by striking the walls around the dining room. We’ll install a great fireplace with distressed brick and bold tiles, which will anchor the space. Cozy but modern furniture will fill the room with warmth, and built-in shelves will allow you to show off your signature style. In the dining room, we’ll expand the window along the west wall to allow for more light to shine through. A large, wood table will fill the space, along with a grand statement light fixture. This will sit adjacent to your newly renovated kitchen. We’ll run cabinets along the west wall, and move the sink so that it is under a great picture window that overlooks the backyard. This window will bring help light into your kitchen, and into the rest of the house, now that the space is opened up. A large island, complete with a cooktop and storage, will give you more counter space, and allow David to hang out at the island while Patrick is cooking. Bright, white countertops will modernize the space, and a unique backsplash will complement the white cabinets. You have a great area along the north wall that overlooks the backyard which will serve as your breakfast nook. On the other side of your patio doors, we can add a combination coffee station and work station for Patrick.”</p><p>“That sounds...amazing,” David smiles.</p><p>“It seems like you have hit all of our wishlist items.”</p><p>“Option one comes in at $115,000 and will take 7 weeks to complete.”</p><p>“That would give us some extra money for the stairs,” David points out.</p><p>“Well, we also have a second option to consider.”</p><p>“Okay,” Patrick looks wary.</p><p>“Option Two would change the layout slightly, but give you even more storage.”</p><p>Instead of expanding the dining room window, we would leave it the same, and expand the kitchen cabinetry out along the wall into what used to be the dining room. Under the window, we would install the coffee bar and a workspace for Patrick. We would get rid of the breakfast nook, and move your formal dining table into that space. We would expand the patio doors, and install accordion doors so that you could take advantage of using the dining room as an indoor/outdoor entertaining space.</p><p>“Option two will also take 7 weeks and would come in at $120,000. So it would max out your budget.”</p><p>“I like the idea of more storage, but I think I would miss the breakfast nook,” David says.</p><p>“It is also at the top of our budget,” Patrick points out.</p><p>“Remember that you also have seating at the island, which is another great breakfast spot.”</p><p>“And the indoor/outdoor dining option would be really great. You love to barbeque," David says wistfully.</p><p>“But we’ll need to deal with the stairs,” Patrick replies.</p><p>“What do you guys think? Option one, or option two?”</p><p>“I think we are going with option…”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Part 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>More reno! Asbestos! (I guess we need another fundraiser.) Townie cameos! What more could you want?</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I really did not mean to leave like, all of my fics hanging but, well *gestures broadly at everything*</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"What do you think? Option one, or option two?"</p><p>“I think we are going with option...one,” David says. Patrick nods in agreement.</p><p>“Great! We’ll get started, and I promise, you’re going to love it when it’s complete.”</p><p> </p><p>We get to work installing the beam so that we can take down the supports for the load-bearing wall, and pulling out the awful carpeting on the staircase. The electrician takes care of the remaining knob and tube wiring, and our team re-routes the HVAC and plumbing. We begin to pull up the damaged hardwood floors, and that’s where we hit another snag. I’ve asked Patrick and David to swing by.</p><p>“Hey Jonathan,” Patrick greets as he and David enter the construction site.</p><p>“Hey guys,” Jonathan puts down his nail gun and greets the men in the center of what used to be the dining room.</p><p>“It’s really coming along in here,” David notes with enthusiasm.</p><p>“I thought we were getting rid of the floors?” Patrick adds, noticing that most of the flooring is still down.</p><p>“That’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about. We were pulling up the flooring in the kitchen, and came across what looks like asbestos,” Jonathan replies with a grimace.</p><p>“Ugh, this town and asbestos!” David cries, throwing his hands up. He and Patrick share a significant look. Clearly there is a story here.</p><p>“So is the asbestos everywhere?” Patrick asks.</p><p>“There was none in the walls, which was very lucky considering the age of this house,” Jonathan says gravely, “But we have confirmed asbestos under the flooring, so we will need to have an abatement team come in.”</p><p>“And how much is that going to be?” Patrick has folded his arms across his chest again.</p><p>“Anywhere from two to three thousand dollars.”</p><p>David and Patrick both visibly deflate at this news. Patrick rubs a hand over his face and looks at his husband.</p><p>“We have to deal with this, so, I guess, maybe we can cut something else?”</p><p>“Not the stairs,” David replies.</p><p>“Let me get a better idea of cost from the abatement team, and then we can look at ways that we can cut costs,” Jonathan soothes. “We don’t have to do custom floating shelves for example.</p><p>“Okay, well. Thanks, Jonathan,” Patrick sighs.</p><p>“Okay, next time you’re here, this will all be done,” Jonathan shoos the couple out of the house.</p><p>~~@~~</p><p>The abatement team came in, and the asbestos wasn’t quite as bad as we thought. It is still a $1,300 hit to the budget, something that I know is causing Patrick quite a bit of stress. I’m doing everything I can to find ways to close the gap in the budget.</p><p>With the old flooring gone, we can get to work installing the narrow boards that David insisted upon, in a nice mid-tone which will warm up the space nicely. The drywall is up, and the cabinets are being installed in the kitchen. I am about to start working on the fireplace surround, but we have a surprise visitor.</p><p>“Hey! You aren’t supposed to be in here!” Jonathan cries as David wanders into the living room space.</p><p>“I know, I’m not looking, I promise! Oh wow, I love the floors,” David smiles.</p><p>“Okay, what are you doing here?”</p><p>I wanted to talk to you about something,” David wraps his arms around himself as Jonathan approaches.</p><p>“Okay,” Jonathan says cautiously.</p><p>“Patrick is <em>very</em> stressed out about the budget. With the stairs and the asbestos and stuff - he is trying to be okay with it all, but it’s taking a toll. So I was talking to my mom, and she suggested maybe we could update the barbecue and outdoor space a little.”</p><p>“Okay, well I’m not sure spending <em>more</em> money is going to help Patrick’s stress levels.”</p><p>“No, I know, but my parents are willing to chip in for this. I want it to be a surprise for Patrick.”</p><p>“That’s very sweet,” Jonathan smiles.</p><p>“Well, I am a very generous person,” David smirks.</p><p>“Okay, we’ll add it to the list! Now get out of here, and don’t come back until we’re done!”</p><p>“Fine. But no delays! I’d forgotten how awful the motel mattresses are.”</p><p>~~@~~</p><p>
  <em> Reveal Day!  </em>
</p><p>“I just hope they were able to translate my style choices,” David says as the couple gets out of their car. </p><p>“Well you texted Jonathan all of your mood boards so I think he probably picked up something,” Patrick teases. They join hands and meet the twins in the center of the yard, where they first met seven weeks ago.</p><p>“Are you two ready to see your Forever Home?” Drew smiles.</p><p>“Yes, mmhmm,” David nods as Patrick squeezes his hand.</p><p>“After you,” Jonathan steps aside to let the couple enter their home.</p><p>The wall that separated the entryway from the living room is gone, opening up the space to much more light. Along the other wall, a sleek, deep green shoe rack sits below a set of coat hooks. Modern black and white tile on the floor of the entryway melds seamlessly into the brand new, asbestos-free hardwood floors.</p><p>“Wow, this looks so much bigger,” Patrick says. His gaze falls onto the stairway, which sits just to the right of the entryway. “You were right, David, we had to get rid of the carpet on the stairs.”</p><p>The stairs have matching hardwood, and a narrow, cream-colored runner. The new railing matches the floor and is broken up by sleek, iron spindles.</p><p>“Of course I was right, I’m always right regarding aesthetics, honey.”</p><p>“Is the living room cozy enough, though?” Drew asks.</p><p>The flooring extends to the living room, where a stylish black and cream rug and deep grey sectional sofa takes up a good portion of the space. The sofa also serves as a divider between the living room and entryway. Large, fluffy throw pillows soften the modern sofa. Patrick and David’s original chairs and coffee table are also in the space, along with some of their personal belongings, which are scattered on the dark grey built-ins. The custom-made fireplace mantle is made with the same type of reclaimed wood that was used on their coffee table, and we have added shiny, deep green subway tiles to the fireplace surround to add a pop of color. The tile ties in nicely with the shoe rack in the entryway.</p><p>“This is so cozy! Oh, we can fit so many more people in here now,” David grins.</p><p>“I love how much storage we have,” Patrick adds.</p><p>“The mantle matches the coffee table so well!”</p><p>“Well, your carpenter was willing to work with us. We also had him build your dining room table,” Jonathan gestures toward the long beautiful dining table that sits in front of a new, larger window. A sleek, modern light fixture hangs over the table, and the deep green from the fireplace is again picked up on the upholstery of the dining chairs.</p><p>“Wow, Jake really out-did himself,” Patrick says with awe.</p><p>“He seemed to know you two pretty well, and worked with David’s pretty specific mood boards,” Jonathan smiles. “He also did some floating shelves in your kitchen. Nice guy. In fact, he invited Drew and me over for a whiskey-”</p><p>“Oh, nope, you don’t want to uh, you don't want to do that,” Patrick cuts in, eyes wide.</p><p>“Yeah, definitely, don’t - uh, jump into that,” David agrees frantically.</p><p>“Oookay,” Drew and Jonathan exchange a confused look.</p><p>“So - the kitchen! Let’s go to see that room now,” Patrick exclaims awkwardly. He and David turn and rush into the next space.</p><p>The kitchen is now bright and airy, with a large set of white shaker-style cabinets that extend to the ceiling. The lower cabinets are dark grey, as is the base of the massive island. The cabinets and waterfall countertop on the island are bright white quartz, and the backsplash is white with dark green accents. Gold hardware on the cabinets matches the gold faucet on the large farmhouse sink. The fridge and dishwasher are covered to match the cabinets, giving the kitchen a seamless, clean look, The light fixtures over the island are a simple gold, with long Edison bulbs. Floating shelves lining the wall next to the sink display some of the large, beautiful cookbooks Patrick has been collecting, along with some small plants. There is seating at the island for David, with stools that match the dining room chairs.</p><p>“This is...very impressive,” David nods.</p><p>“I am so excited to start cooking in here!” Patrick adds.</p><p>Along the other wall is a dark grey coffee station and desk for Patrick. Large, black photo frames filled with photos are lined up in two neat rows on this same wall.</p><p>“What are all these?” David asks as they approach.</p><p>“Patrick gave us some photos and asked us to add them into the design,” Drew replies. David gives his husband a fond look and turns to focus on the photos.</p><p>All of the photos are in black and white, but they were taken fairly recently. There is a photo from their wedding: the two of them with David’s parents and Alexis in Town Hall; there is a photo of David and Stevie at Rose Apothecary; a photo of David’s parents, smiling at one another at the motel; a photo of Alexis with the new puppy she recently adopted in New York; a photo of David and Patrick with Patrick’s parents at Patrick’s birthday party; a photo of David and Patrick, taken just after their engagement.</p><p>“I know how much you miss them,” Patrick says softly as David gazes at the photo of his parents, “And I just thought this might make it easier.” David nods wordlessly, and the two embrace until David is able to reign in his emotions.</p><p>“Well Patrick, David also decided to surprise you with a little something,” Jonathan says as he leads the party toward the back door.</p><p>Outside on the patio, there is a large outdoor rug covering a good portion of the concrete. A big, cozy, outdoor sofa and two matching chairs surround an outdoor fire pit. Adjacent to this is a brand new, state of the art barbeque grill.</p><p>“Oh wow! But how did we afford-”</p><p>“My dad chipped in. I think he was feeling guilty for sticking us with that terrible grill from the motel,” David smiled.</p><p>“We made it work, though,” Patrick replies fondly, snaking his arm around David’s waist.</p><p>“We did, but now we don’t have to.”</p><p>“Thank you, David.”</p><p>“Well, since you have this great new grill, how about a family barbeque?” Drew asks.</p><p>“Oh! I mean, I guess Roland can come over, as long as he doesn’t touch anything,” David replies reluctantly.</p><p>“So generous,” Patrick laughs.</p><p>Before they know it, half of the town is in their backyard. Ronnie, who helped bring in contractors for Jonathan’s local team, is busy eyeing their handy work in the kitchen, while Twyla whips up her “famous” potato salad.. Jocelyn is busy trying to keep Roland Jr. away from the hot grill, while Roland, Bob, and Ray chat over beers at the fire pit. David and Patrick are doing their best to run interference between Jake and the Scott brothers, much to Stevie’s delight. A knock at the door confuses David (“The entire damn town is already here, Patrick!”) but Patrick opens the door to reveal his other surprise; Johnny and Moira, along with Alexis.</p><p>David cries out with delight when he sees them, and the Roses are ushered directly into the backyard. </p><p>“Well we had to see how the new grill is working out,” Johnny chuckles awkwardly, while Moira reunites with her Jazzagals and Alexis prowls around the Scott brothers, trying to decide which one is cuter (“One of them is already married, Alexis!” “Ugh, David!”)</p><p>Once the chaos of the surprise visit settles, Patrick gets everyone’s attention.</p><p>“David and I just want to welcome you all into our home. Thank you to Drew and Jonathan for making this house the home we’ve always dreamed it could be. We’re looking forward to more afternoons like this one!”</p><p>“Are we?” David mutters jokingly.</p><p>“Cheers to your new Forever Home!” Jocelyn says excitedly. </p><p>“To your new Forever Home,” Jonathan echoes, as their community raises a glass.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>